What was wrong with Trump’s remark ?

A big hue and cry is going on in India over US President Trump’s remark ” a baby here becomes an instant citizen, and then they bring the entire family in from China or India or some other hell hole on the planet “

The Indian government has criticised Trump’s statement as being ‘uninformed, inappropriate and in poor taste’

https://indicanews.com/india-slams-president-trumps-remarks-as-uninformed-and-in-poor-taste

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/uninformed-inappropriate-india-slams-donald-trump-over-hell-hole-remark/articleshow/130474352.cms&ved=2ahUKEwiJ9aTUoIeUAxVcZmwGHWRXK58QFnoECDAQAQ&usg=AOvVaw0MLUrwmhjtLRbhq1TkMVfw

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news/world/news/india-reacts-after-trump-calls-it-hellhole-4159506&ved=2ahUKEwiegujYooeUAxXRSWwGHT0LD1c4ChAWegQIJBAB&usg=AOvVaw2Qehcib2g4lAc5i_h0A3h7

The main opposition party in India, the Congress, has called Trump’s statement ” extremely insulting and anti-Indian, and hurtful to every Indian”

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.facebook.com/IndianNationalCongress/posts/us-president-trump-has-called-india-a-hellholethis-statement-is-extremely-insult/1589320065888839/&ved=2ahUKEwiKna6PoYeUAxUWUGcHHfrTMRQQFnoECGAQAQ&usg=AOvVaw11BWRk5oCIkfWdBM0wuq1O

The objection is obviously to calling India a ‘hell hole’

But what is wrong in that description ?

I am presently in one hell hole called Bangalore, having come here for a couple of days from another hell hole called Delhi. I have also been to other hell holes like Mumbai, Kolkata, Lucknow etc

The air pollution, the nightmarish traffic jams, the congestion in cities, the mounds of garbage lying everywhere on the streets, the polluted rivers, polluted food and water ( which cause various diseases), the water logging on the streets during the monsoon rains, the widespread corruption at every level etc, which make life unbearable for the common man and woman, surely justify calling India a hell hole.

And this is apart from the massive poverty and unemployment in India, the appalling level of child malnutrition ( every second child in India is malnourished, according to Global Hunger Index, and the situation is getting worse ), almost total lack of proper healthcare and good education for our masses, etc.

No doubt Indians can feel proud over the great achievements of our ancestors 

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://indicanews.com/indians-were-once-leaders-in-science/&ved=2ahUKEwiYofbRpYeUAxW73jgGHTpiNeMQFnoECBsQAQ&usg=AOvVaw1TpQ98e08BvAy04vBi68xr

But we have to see our situation today, and not keep gloating over the past.

And the truth is that today India is indeed a hell hole 

So why criticise Trump for speaking the truth, ? One may criticise him on other issues, but here he is spot on

Author

  • markandey katju

    Markandey Katju is an Indian jurist. He was the former judge of Supreme Court of India. He also was chairman of the Press Council of India from 2011 to 2014.

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